Meet Alex Ertel | Photographer & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Ertel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, why did you pursue a creative career?
Creativity has always been a significant piece of my life, from reading as a kid and imagining new worlds in my head to picking up my first point-and-shoot camera and looking at the same world I saw every day and seeing it for the first time. Picking a creative career comes with plenty of challenges: paying the bills, marketing, understanding business finances, keeping up with social media, to name a few. However, the beauty of having a creative career overcomes all the challenges. I chose a creative career for several reasons. I enjoy working with people on a creative level and developing a community based on something we all partake in. I appreciate the ability to develop my own schedule in certain ways. I feel like I am fulfilled in life when I get to create something. I think the biggest reason I chose a creative career though was giving something to people that can last a lifetime.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I began to do photography professionally in 2016. Prior to that, I enjoyed photography, but I didn’t totally understand it. It was all point-and-shoots at first. It was my partner who inspired me to learn more about the art. His photos were (and still are) so striking and incredible, and when I first saw them, I realized how much more I could learn. The pandemic was one of the biggest challenges with my photography business. My clients were amazing and we were all uncertain of what could happen, so communication was key! As well as flexibility. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean events weren’t significantly postponed, or altogether cancelled. It was a hard year for a lot of reasons, and my business definitely suffered. 2021 saw a small recovery, but it’s a lot of refocusing and looking at how I’d like to approach it moving forward. In a weird way, it allowed me to look at if I wanted to continue what I was doing with photography, or expand into something different. I always loved wildlife and nature photos, it’s a different business altogether, but a little bit of downtime is an opportunity to rebrand.
When I look through all the photos I am most proud of, they’re wildlife, nature, or landscapes. I have a photo of a butterfly, it’s so sharp. I used my favorite lens for it (50mm) and it turned out so nicely. It is probably my favorite photo I’ve ever taken. In a way, it’s so simple, but I think that’s the beauty of it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For the first day, I’d recommend going to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge. This is a great spot to see wildlife, including bison! There are walking trails and a wildlife drive as well, so if you’re a little tired from traveling, you can still enjoy a day out! I’d recommend eating at The Denver Botanic Gardens would be my next spot for the second day. Hopefully they’re visiting in spring or summer, but in the winter they do the lights around the gardens, so there’s something every season.
I enjoy a good trivia night, and I know a spot for Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday nights. All three is a little much, but I’m not opposed either.
The third day is a good day to do something like see a show or go to a theater and see a play in the Performing Arts District.
The mountains are always nice to see and spend time in. Rocky Mountain National Park is huge and there’s a lot to see.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would have to shoutout four people. My partner, my brothers, and my mother. All of them have offered me support, advice, and encouragement throughout my career, and pretty much all my choices in life. I wouldn’t be where I am without these incredible people.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_ertel_photography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexertelphotography/

Image Credits
Brekon Baxter Alex Ertel (self)